How to Input Multiple rhythms within a Single Measure
Hi, new to the forum here. I've been using Musescore for several years now, but this is my first time posting a question. I love Musescore and wonder how I got along without it for many years, but I've yet to figure out how to do this (see attachment). I'm sure I will feel like an idiot once one of you kind more experienced uploaders tells me how to do it. I've tried searching the help section and this forum but since I don't know exactly how to word my request, I've come up with nothing. Everytime I try to add a different rhythm underneath the held note, Musescore changes the held note's value. There has to be an easy way to do this! It is a very common thing in music. Help please! Thank you.
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| rhapsodyexcerpt.JPG | 21.42 KB |
Comments
Hi and welcome.
If you go here https://musescore.org/en/handbook and scroll down to voices, you will find the answer.
After that, if you just take a quick look through this handbook, I think you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration.
Keep writing. :)
In reply to Hi and welcome. If you go by xavierjazz
Wow, thank you so much Xavier. I looked in the handbook, but I would never have thought that would be under "voices". You are correct, I probably should read through the entire handbook. But, in my defense, I usually know how to "search" for a specific thing I am trying to do. This one I would have thought would have been under note input not voices.
You did save me load more time. Thanks again!
Laura
In reply to Wow, thank you so much by Lark37
Whatever works for you :).
Sometimes terms are used differently and it can take time to go through them all to find the right one.
Regards,
In reply to Wow, thank you so much by Lark37
Just so you know, though the word "voices" is not used here in its usual colloquial definition as referring to the human voice. Actually, is the usual musical term for this situation, regardless of instrument. That is, multiple independent lines on the same staff are referred to as "voices" in pretty much any theory textbook as well. And that's why it's filed there in the Handbook - not to confuse people!
We realize a lot of people don't know that term, so actually, if you look in the Handbook under "Note input", you'll see this exact situation is discussed right in the first paragraph, with a link to the section on "Voices". However, there is no picture, so it's easy to miss that this is what we are talking about. I think probably the whole section on voices should probably be moved into the note input section, probably toward the end.
In reply to Just so you know, though the by Marc Sabatella
Thanks Marc and Xavier. I knew once Xavier mentioned it being under voices what that meant -- I do understand the term isn't being used in the "colloquial" sense. However, I would have thought even if under "voices" that it would still have been under "note input" section in the handbook. I didn't read through the entire handbook though and sounds as if had I done so I would have realized it was under "voices". I will definitely read through it sometime soon. Also, just to clarify, using the term "voices" for lines of notes on the staff is not very common in piano lesson and piano theory books. I have several that I routinely use and after reading Marc's assertion that the term "voices" is used in pretty much any theory textbook, I took a look through several of mine including Alfred's Music Theory Essentials 1-3, the Hal Leonard Basic Music Theory Handbook, and Bastien Piano Theory. None of the ones I have use the term "voices".
In reply to Thanks Marc and Xavier. I by Lark37
As I mentioned, the "note input" section *does* mention this, right at the very beginning, but I think the lack of an example and sufficient context makes it too easy to miss.
As for the books you mention, I suppose I should have been more specific. I suspect those books are probably a bit too basic to cover this - it's something you'd see covered more in a college-level theory textbook, specifically one dealing with counterpoint. Or, if you just check out music like Bach's "Well Temperated Clavier" - or any similar collection of fugues - in which the pieces are generally classified according to how many "voices". Eg, the C major fugue in WTC 1 is listed as "in 4 voices", etc.